Easy Eggnog

Traditional eggnog calls for raw eggs, and a lot fewer people are messing with raw eggs today, thanks to a minuscule but real risk of salmonella. Accordingly, revelers serving those in high-risk groups should heat eggnog’s basic ingredients–eggs, cream, and sugar–to 160°F and do it carefully, or the eggs will curdle. That is a lot of work for a happy little holiday libation.

But some anonymous genius has finessed this sorry situation. Given that eggnog and ice cream are made from the same ingredients, and that eggs are already safely built into ice cream, start your eggnog with premium vanilla ice cream. Just pull it out of the freezer, put it in the fridge, and let it melt. Add rum or brandy and a little grating of fresh nutmeg, and there you have it–homemade tasting eggnog. Brilliant!